This Year
by NorthernTrash-x
Summary: Father Christmas has never been so confused.
1. December 1st

__NorthernTrash-x here, back again for the Christmas season with your very own advent fic. Each day, a new letter. Have a good one!

**December 1st**

_Dear Father Christmas_

_Ken-chan says that old men who ask me to sit on their laps are perverts and I should pull their guts out through their mouths and leave them for the dogs to eat, but Yumi told me that you were okay, because you're special, so even though you're a pervert I'm not going to let the dogs eat you. Yumi is teaching me lots of things that I didn't know before, Father Christmas._

_For Christmas, I'd like it if Yumi stopped trying to teach me things that I didn't know before._

_Ken-chan says he's taught me everything he knows already, so I must know enough._

_I think I've been a good girl this year, Father Christmas. __I know that I did disembowel that bunny that we found, but it was by accident, it just didn't know how to play properly. That's not my fault. Same with Floppy-Hair from the Sixth Division, and they said that his leg would heal just fine anyway, so it doesn't matter._

_For Christmas I'd like a sheep to play with, a new cat and a new red felt tip pen. Mine is running out, because I use it the most. My favourite thing to draw is Ken-chan when he's happy, so I have to use lots of red on the bodies._

_I would also like some more of those sweets that Bya-kun brought over for me to eat that one time. The ones with the pink sparkles on. They were tasty._

_I'd like it if you could find the password to Kuro-crazy's computer as well, because there are lots of funny things to do on his computer and he never lets me play._

_And that isn't fair, because you should always share things._

_But most of all I'd like it if Ken-chan gets to kill someone this Christmas, because it always makes him smile. Or maybe if he just got to fight Ichi again, that would be okay, I guess._

_Thanks!_

_Yachiru_

_-Father Christmas, I'm afraid that I had to correct several (hundred) spelling mistakes and rewrite it on paper not stained with rabbit intestine before I could sent this to you. If I just could ask, could you not grant Yachiru that first wish? I know that Captain Zaraki manages without it, but I'm just not sure if she can get through her entire life without knowing the basics of hygiene._

_I'm asking for all our sakes._

_Y. A._

Yumichika put his pen down with a sigh and an attractive flick of the hair. Not that there was anyone in his miniscule office to witness such a feat of beauty, but one must not get lax about that sort of thing. With a small sneer of disgust, he picked up the sticky paper that he had been copying from with a pair of tweezers, and carefully deposited it in his bin, trying very hard not to think about the red marks and the small blob of grey matter that he just hadn't been able to bring himself to remove from Yachiru's letter.

He placed the copy of the letter in a scented envelope, sealing it with a satisfied flourish.

With the last job of the day complete, he stood up and stretched, wondering why Yachiru had decided this year that Christmas was such a big deal. It certainly wasn't anything that the Captain had instilled in her…

But then, it seemed that everyone cared a little more about Christmas than they normally would this year.


	2. December 2nd

**December 2nd**

_Dear Father Christmas,_

_I'd never heard of Christmas being celebrated here before this year, but all of a sudden everyone is excited about it, and it is getting a little… manic. In a good way, of course. Except the thing with the Christmas shopping and the gift wrap section, where Matsumoto ended up getting us kicked out… anyway. At first only Yachiru was excited about it, but it is spreading. I think I saw Yumichiki in tinsel earlier today, although I think he'll take any excuse to put on more glitter._

_We're all very excited for Christmas here in the Kuchiki household! But if you could just perhaps make the family elders just a little bit less tense, then maybe we'd have a better time. Just leave them some really good sake, or something. A bit of a drink makes anyone more cheerful._

_Or a lot more cheerful, if it's Matsumoto and they're handing out free sherry next to the Christmas card section00. But we've left that whole department store thing behind us._

_To begin with, I'd like the Chappy figurine collection. And the Chappy stationary kit. And maybe one of those collectors' edition Chappy books, complete with colour illustrations and a whole new set of Chappy limericks._

_And, if you can, the Chappy costume. In a men's size large._

_Not for any particular reason._

_If you could invent some sort of emergency that would get all of my friends from the living world here for Christmas too, that would be great. But I don't expect any miracles on that front, I wouldn't like to try a child away from Isshin Kurosaki on Christmas day either._

_But, y'know, if you can do it, could you make Ichigo a little more receptive to wearing said Chappy costume?_

_Just for research purposes, obviously._

_Please, could you send me some inspiration for anything to get my brother that might make him smile, on Christmas? Really, if you don't get me anything else, I'd like that. Just something to make him smile again, the way he does in the photographs from when he was a kid. Something that isn't Renji tied up naked with a bow around him (I know he keeps denying it, but we all know that he wants it really). And if you could make Renji finally surrender to his pent up sexual tension and jump him, that would be cool. The atmosphere in nii-san's department at the moment is driving everyone crazy, apparently. _

_But I think I've been good enough this year to deserve something, Father Christmas, even if it is just gay sex. _

_Lots of 3 _

_Rukia Kuchiki X0X0_

From outside came the familiar sounds of her brother exploding things in his newly made training area. For the last few months, he had come home from his offices every day and had destroyed something, and although his facial expression never flickered and he remained characteristically silent, Rukia knew that he was letting out frustrations.

She kissed the Chappy envelope and smiled.

_Make it work, Father Christmas! I'm counting on you. _


	3. December 3rd

**December 3rd**

_Old man,_

_I wouldn't be writing this at all except Rukia kept hitting me until I agreed to, so here's the deal. I dunno what this whole Christmas thing is all about except that things are getting pretty mental around here. First there was that whole thing with Matsumoto and the wrapping paper (Iba is gutted he missed that one), now Yumi's decorated the Eleventh Division and Rukia's hanging weird plants everywhere and keeps trying to make me and Captain Kuchiki walk under them, but we're too smart for her. She's obviously planning something._

_Apparently I'm meant to ask you for something. Well, I don't want shit, anything I need I can get for myself, thanks._

_Renji Abarai_

Renji looked at his work, and with a grunt of irritation screwed it up into a ball. Looking surreptitiously around him just in case Rukia happened to be hiding behind a pot plant ready to jump out and read his inner most thoughts (hey, it wouldn't have been the first time), Renji picked up his pen again, catching sight, as he did so, of the open door to his Captain's office.

And catching, entirely without meaning to, the eyes of his Captain, who was staring at him with a small, stern frown.

Oh, shit.

Renji swung his head down to look at his desk so fast he almost hit his head on it.

God, was the man psychic or something? Could he _sense _when Renji wasn't doing the work that he was meant to be doing? And did he have to stare at him in that ridiculously beautiful way, that made him look like a piece of freaking art work? No man should be that beautiful. In fact, _nothing _should be that beautiful. It really wasn't fair for everyone else, who had to try and not be distracted by it.

Trying very, very hard not to look too obviously flustered, Renji slowly sat up again, pulled a new scrap of paper towards him, and quickly wrote.

_Old man,_

_I ain't a queer, or anything, no matter what Iba says (that guy knows shit all anyway), but if you could make Captain Kuchiki like me back it would be pretty awesome._

_Thanks._

_R. A._

He shoved the paper into his pocket, and went back to the requisition forms he was supposed to be going through, making sure not to look at his Captain for the rest of the morning.


	4. December 4th

**December 4th**

_Dear Sir,_

_I am writing on behalf of my position as Captain of the Sixth Division in the Gotei 13 and I in my role as head of the Kuchiki family, a noble family of notable repute. I must firstly express my disinterest in your festivities and inform you of my disapproval for your lack of qualms about disrupting our institution at this time of year with your childish endeavours and fickle behaviour. Whatever influence you have extended that spawned this madness, I would request that you withdraw it. It was only just tolerable when children were influenced, although we do not need or want anything that would make Lieutenant Kusajishi any more excitable, thank you all the same. But now it has started to spread to other shinigami, as well as some of a high rank._

_I do not think I need to remind you of the year that we have had here, Sir, and I'm sure you can appreciate that this is simply not what we need about now. Twenty more days of madness is more that we need._

_I do not require anything for Christmas. Anything that I do need I can quite easily have acquired for me. The Kuchiki family, if you were unaware, do not need to beg for commercial expenditure._

_Sincerely,_

_Captain Kuchiki_

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again. That was the only reflection of emotion that he would allow on his face at the moment; he had always been a stoic Captain, but over the last few months it had increased drastically.

It didn't help that whatever idiot had designed this office had made it so that the Captain's desk faced that of the Lieutenant's through the open door joining the two offices.

And when someone had hair such a vibrant colour it was difficult not to find oneself drawn towards it.

Without quite meaning to, he found that he had written a set of initials, in very small writing, right at the bottom of the letter. He glared at them, as if they had appeared of their own free will, and was about to throw the whole letter in the bin before his composure caught up with him. Trying to restrain himself, he folded the letter neatly and left it on his desk, picking up instead a letter forwarded from the desk of the Captain Commander, written to remind Captains that the decoration of departments for non-approved celebratory events was strictly against Gotei procedures.

He couldn't help but but agree- he had already had to order for three Christmas wreaths to be taken down, as well as five strings of fairy lights.

From his desk, the piles of paperwork stared up at him.

Now, he told himself. Stop getting distracted at inappropriate thoughts and get on with your work.


	5. December 5th

**December 5th**

_Christmas,_

_Yumi told me I should write to ya, 'cause the kid did it, and she'd get upset if I didn't do it as well. I dunno if that is true or not, but we all remember that whole fiasco with the rabbit back at Easter. And that thing with the hollows at Halloween. And I really don't want to have to clean up any mess again if she gets pissy or confused at any of this Christmas shit. So I'm goin' along with it, and you'd better not start screwing with her or anything._

_I don't get what your game it, goin' around and giving people shit for nothing, but if you're going to do it anyway, then I'd like some decent booze disguised as something else so that Yumi doesn't start fussing and throw it away. And I'd like a roast boar, on a spit, because we haven't had one in a while because the kitchens won't cook em on a fire like they're supposed to. _

_And get me some kitchen staff that aren't so pissy, would ya? They keep serving food with avec in it, and I don't know what that is but I'm pretty sure I don't like it._

_But I don't need much else for myself, but if you're any good at performing miracles like the kid is yapping on about, there is some stuff you could get done around here that might make everyone loosen up a bit._

_First, get that stick out of Kuchiki's arse (maybe then there'd be room for something else- we're all sick of Abarai looking like a pathetic dog left out in the rain). Get Kurotsuchi-Kooky some make up remover so we can all see what's under there. Make Yumi stop fussing over that idiot with the pervert tattoo so he stops swooning everywhere. And do something about Ikkaku, I don't know what the fuck is wrong with him but it's getting fucking annoying._

_And make that pile of paperwork that I hid under my desk go away. That would be really good._

_Zaraki_

_P.S. Apparently you go places on some flying surfboard or some shit like that. If that lands on the roof of my Division, you'd better have some serious firearms, because my lads react first, ask questions later. Just a warning._

"Are you done, Captain?"

Kenpachi grunted a response, thrusting the letter into the hands of his fifth chair, already on his way out of his office. He had been sat at that desk for over four minutes, scrawling out his letter, and that length of time was long enough to constitute paperwork, in his humble opinion.

And everyone knew that too much paperwork was bad for you. Just look at that midget Captain from the Tenth. He had to do _all_ the paperwork, and it was clearly stunting his growth.

Not that height was so great a thing when Yumi and Yachiru kept hanging up home made baubles everywhere.

"Very good Captain, Yachiru will be so pleased!"

Yumichika kept smiling as he started to read the note. With a look of alarm, Kenpachi slid quickly out of the room. He hadn't anticipated Yumi _reading. _He managed to get to the end of the corridor before Yumi's indignant voice came after him, no doubt soon to be followed by an eruption of gay-rage, the thought of which kept the Eleventh Division in varying degrees of terror.

"Shuuhei's tattoos are not _pervy, _Captain!"


	6. December 6th

**December 6th**

_Father Christmas,_

_I rather feel like I have written to you already, having re-written Yachiru's letter and chivvying the Captain into his! I've yet to make Ikkaku write his, but but I'll get there soon, I'm sure! But there are still some things that I'd like to ask from you this year._

_You see, I think that I have been a very good boy this year, Father Christmas. I always try my very hardest to let people know when they aren't looking their best, and I am very conscientious in giving people advice on how to best improve their appearance. I know that sometimes it didn't quite go to plan, but the Fourth Division said that the fake eyelash glue wouldn't do any long term damage to Hanatarou, so I think we are fine on that score. And I'm trying ever so hard to make Yachiru into an elegant, refined young girl (although, between you and me, Father Christmas, I'm not sure that I'm going to be successful on that score)._

_I also have done my best to make this place festive and welcoming to you, Father Christmas, with my array of tasteful decorations. I am also doing my best to teach the boys Christmas carols, but I am afraid that they keep getting them confused with battle chants, so keep singing them when they are sparring. Although this might not quite be in most appropriate way to celebrate this time of year, it's the thought that counts. After all, we each have our own little foibles, don't we? I wouldn't dream of telling you that red doesn't match your complexion, because that festive get up is part of your whole Christmas thing, isn't it?_

_But anyway, as for what I want-_

_Firstly, I'd like it if you never let Matsumoto near sherry again. I don't think I will ever be able to look at sellotape in quite the same way again._

_Secondly, I desperately need a new manicure kit, as Yachiru found my old one, and decided to play surgeon with it._

_Thirdly, it would be wonderful if you made it so that Yachiru falls asleep at regular intervals over the Christmas period. She is ever so excited, but it is a little… trying. Ikkaku has been looking after her, Captain's orders, but the poor love hasn't been able to sleep for four days now. Or is it five? And he really needs some rest._

_And on the subject of Ikkaku, it would be so wonderful if things progressed a little for him. I'm not sure whether Kira is taking it slow or is just completely unaware that Ikkaku is trying to court him (in his own, special way) but either way, it needs sorting._

_Lastly, it would be wonderful if you could make my darling Shuuhei slightly more receptive to the fact that we are in a relationship. He still seems to think that we're not, silly boy._

_Thank you!_

_Yumichika Ayasegawa_

"Look Ikkaku, I've finished mine! I just need you to write yours and we will be completely set for Christmas, don't you agree?"

No response came. Yumichika wasn't even sure if Ikkaku had heard him.

"Ikkaku?"

"Baldy!"

Ikkaku snapped to attention at the shrill voice of the little girl, wild with excitement.

"You need to come be my reindeer now and pull my sled!"

She clipped a red nose onto the end of Ikkaku's own, grinning in delight as she dragged the half-dead man out of the room.

Yumichika rolled his eyes, and underlined the part about Ikkaku needing a rest.


	7. December 7th

_Father Christmas,_

_If it was you that did this to my division then I have to ask you to stop, it is a little bit much, don't you think? And if it wasn't you (which I have a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't) could you please stop Ayasegawa from getting in here and hanging fairy lights and tinsel everywhere? It does not 'build morale'- and we do not need our morale building, to begin with. My division is as strong as it has ever been, everyone has forgotten and got over the fact that we don't have a Captain any more. We work just fine the way we are. I don't care if he says that the place 'needs brightening up', we have work to do and they're just a bit of a distraction, really._

_The same could be said for Ayasegawa._

_He just keeps finding a way in. I've told the main gate that he is blacklisted from these division buildings a hundred times but he still manages to get in one way or the other. Iba kept talking about his 'super gay charm', and I thought it was a joke, the way that they all spoke of it like it was a super power, but now I'm not so sure._

_I'm sure I have enough evidence and reason to report him for sexual harassment, but I know Madarame would only punch me in the face if I did so, and then Ayasegawa would just cry, and it would all go downhill from there._

_So if you could just stop him calling me his boyfriend, that would be great._

_Because I'm not, you know. Just because he stays over sometimes and makes me packed lunches doesn't mean we're in a relationship. Just because I told him he was pretty doesn't mean that I love him (and I only told it him to get him to stop him getting upset when he got that pimple on his chin). Just because he keeps a toothbrush in my bathroom doesn't mean anything- anyone could keep a toothbrush there, it's a free country, you do can do what you like. The Captain Commander could keep a hairbrush in my living room if he wanted to (not that I want him to, that would be a bit strange). But Ayasegawa has got totally the wrong idea about us- I'm not gay, for a start! Certain urges mean nothing. It must just be a phase I'm going through. I like boobs. I really do. _

_So yeah, that's what I'd like, for you to keep Yumichika Ayasegawa out of my life._

_Only, maybe, not too much out of my life. Because he's been around a lot recently, so it might be too quiet if he altogether vanished. And his packed lunches are really nice, you know. He even shaped the rice into a Christmas tree this morning, with sesame tinsel and beef baubles. I thought it was pretty cool. And we are having a cold snap at the moment and he does keep the bed warm, and he always lets me steal the covers. And he is pretty really, even if he is a guy._

_Yours,_

_Shuuhei Hisagi_

Hisagi read back what he had just written, and slapped his own forehead with his hand.

He was screwed, wasn't he?


	8. December 8th

**December 8th**

_Yo Saint Nick!_

_Sorry this is written on a napkin, but I'm doing this at the bar, a'cause I've only just thought of what I want this year. I don't need much for crimbo, as a guy like me already has everything that he needs- strength, amazing good looks, a kick ass job, decent wingmen (most of the time except when they're being all weird, which they are at the minute, even Ikkaku)._

_But yeah, that's my first wish- that all my wingmen get it back together. Abarai needs to stop staring into space when he isn't going on and on and on about his freaking Captain, and Hisagi keeps jumping every time the bar door opens as if he's waiting for some lunatic to come steal him away. Kira's acting about normal, but Kira's normal is pretty reserved anyway, so he ain't exactly livening things up. And all Ikkaku can do is blush like a freakin' queer every time Kira says something to him, even if all he has to say is 'Pass the bottle'._

Iba glanced up from his writing in order to find another napkin, as he realised that he had already filled one up, front side and back. The ink had run a bit, but if this Father Christmas guy was as awesome as people were saying, then he was sure he'd be able to figure it out.

A brief survey of his wingmen only confirmed his concerns.

Renji was doodling with some spilt beer, making a shape that looked suspiciously like a heart.

Kira was sipping his sake, his forehead drawn into a small frown.

Ikkaku was watching him, mesmerized, as if Kira was a babe getting her boobs out.

Shuuhei, sat opposite him had a look of blind panic, and was on his feet. It took Iba a moment to realise that behind him stood Yumichika, smiling at everyone and asking if they wanted anything from the bar.

Iba really didn't get what Shuuhei's problem was, Yumi joined them all the time at the bar, it wasn't like his new girl who kept making him packed lunches had appeared.

Lucky bastard. Hisagi was keeping quiet about whoever she was, but Iba bet she was a babe.

_Anyway, after you sort out my boys could you see if you could get more sherry to Rangiku? That thing in the department store with the wrapping paper sounds amazing, I can't believe I missed it. So if you get her the booze I've got a roll of the stuff waiting, you can even watch with me if you want._

_But lastly I've got a question that's a bit personal, like. Could you let me know what kind of thing the Lieutenant of the Fourth likes? Only I don't know much about shopping for girls and if I get Yumi to help then I'll end up bankrupt and everyone'll know about it. It's not like I LIKE her, or anything. It was just she was really nice last time I was in the Fourth after I cut my head open when me and Renji got pissed, and she does have a pretty impressive rack. _

_Cheers! I. T._


	9. December 9th

**December 9th**

_Father Christmas, all I want this year is for people to stop mentioning the whole wrapping paper thing. It's not my fault that they were giving out free sherry and I didn't know how strong it was. The woman did say that a beautiful present needs beautiful wrapping, and how was I supposed to know that there would be children there?_

_Anyway, that's all in the past._

_I do think I've been very good this year. I have been very helpful to my Captain and I know how much he appreciates the Christmas spirit project that I have been working on, and might I say how well it has been pulled off! It may only be the ninth, but our Division is full of festive cheer and we're all very happy- morale is definitely UP, even if out paperwork output may be a little down._

_Ohh, there is another thing that I want though, but I ask it not out of selfishness but the complete opposite! You see, recently a lot of the women in the SWA have been complaining about the lack of options we have when it comes to shopping for delicates. There are a lot of places to get your uniform repaired, but to be honest, there are a lot of women in the Seireitei who have been generously endowed and require some new support. A new plus size bra shop would, therefore, be very welcome. I know it is a big ask but there are health risks involved- I myself have grown in the chest area, and my current items do not quite fit me any more. The support is not quite the same, and when I am standing behind my Captain, sometimes they come to rest on his head, which I fear may permanently stunt his growth._

_So that is all I want, Father Christmas, except maybe for Nanao to be a little bit more forward in the bedroom area._

_Ciao!_

_Rangiku_

_xxxxxxxxx_

"Ran, are you done yet?"

Matsumoto slipped the envelope into her chest of drawers and called back that she had.

She was, in fact, quite satisfied with her work- it had definitely been worth skipping the last three hours of paperwork to complete, and of course her darling Captain would understand.

But all thoughts of letters and paperwork were pushed out of her mind when the bathroom door opened, and Nanao appeared, blushing furiously from behind her hair, which had been unpinned and had fallen around her face, curling softly against her shoulders.

She was dressed in something that Matsumoto had bought her several months ago, that at the time she had stated, quite firmly, that she would never be seen dead in. Apparently, that had changed. The thin strips that wrapped around her body in were rather exquisite- as was all the lingerie that Matsumoto picked.

_The man works fast, _Rangiku couldn't help but think.


	10. December 10th

**December 10th**

_To whom it may concern,_

_I don't know why you think this is a good idea, but I demand that you make this whole Christmas thing go away. There is over two weeks until the day but things are mad enough, and will only escalate from here on in._

_People say they write to Father Christmas, and they bring them presents. People paint you as a selfless, generous figure, but I am on to you. I have done my research, and I know you go by a number of aliases, and that you claim to give presents to every child in the living work in one night? _

_Forgive me, but your lies have clearly escalated to ridiculous proportions- no one could possibly move that quickly._

_So whoever you are and whatever your plan is, I'm on to you, and I will spend Christmas day ready and waiting for you. If you have any pride, you will face me, and I will defeat you in the name of truth and justice._

_Even if Hyorinmaru has started making it snow over our division._

_And if part of your cunning plan is to animate the snowmen that my useless Lieutenant is letting everyone make all over the place, then I am one step ahead of you. I have already informed Lieutenant Kusajishi that they contain sweets, so they will all be gone by the morning._

_Captain Hitsugaya._

Toushiro put his pen down and kneaded his head with his knuckles, trying to make his headache go away. His Lieutenant was acting even more ludicrously than was normal- if one more shinigami popped their head around the door with a festive hat on and asked him if wanted a slice of Christmas cake, he was going to have to impale them.

And if the Captain Commander had something to say about that, then he could come and try and do an entire divisions worth of paperwork to the background of the nine-day-strong Division Christmas party going on outside of his office. He hadn't slept in days, mainly because every time he did Hyorinmaru starting singing Christmas carols.

Toushiro still didn't know what had gotten into him.

A few hours later, Matsumoto popped in to offer her Captain a chocolate from one of the boxes that had just arrived, only to find Toushiro slumped over the desk, fast asleep. She flapped around him a moment, finding a blanket and clearing away the little pile of snow that had accumulated around his zanpakuto. Just as she was about to leave she saw his note sticking out from under a folder labelled 'Fourth Seat of the Tenth Division- Urgent', and slid it out.

Matsumoto couldn't help but laugh as she read it, but just as she was about to put it back on her Captain's desk, she couldn't help but notice something written on the back, in very small letters.

_But if you are real, and if you can, could you make Momo better?_


	11. December 11th

_Dear Father Christmas,_

_Things have been a little bit confusing this year._

_I'm not really sure what happened for a lot of it, but Captain Unohana says that I'm doing better and they're going to let me have my zanpakuto back next week, which will be nice, because I've really missed having her._

_Everyone has been very nice to me since I've been ill- all my friends from the SWA have brought me flowers, and Hisagi's been in once or twice with some fruit. Could you make it so that they all have a lovely Christmas?_

_Kira has come in quite a lot and sat with me. He frowns a lot more now than he did when we were younger, but I've only recently come to notice. He reads to me sometimes, and his voice is still very grave. He looks lonely, like he did the first few days of the Academy, like he is a little bit lost. Could you find him someone to make him feel better?_

_Toushiro hasn't been in at all whilst I've been awake, but the Fourth division shinigami who look after me say he comes in quite often, whilst I'm asleep._

_I'm sleeping a lot, at the moment. It sort of feels like I'm sleeping my life away. _

_I do wish Shiro would come in and talk to me though. I really miss him._

_But the one thing that I would like, Father Christmas, is for everything to be like it was this time last year, when Captain Aizen was still here and he still patted me on the head and made me feel better about everything._

_I don't think that you can do that one, but it has never hurt to ask._

_Best wishes,_

_Momo Hinamori_

Toushiro read the note that had been left by the side of her hospital bed and frowned to himself, as he always did when he was here, watching his old friend sleep.

She was still so much paler than she used to be, fine lines around her eyes and mouth appearing more obviously every day as worry and strain wrapped themselves around her.

He heard the night rounds coming, and slipped out of the window, wishing more than anything that someone could make her better.


	12. December 12th

_Dear Father Christmas,_

_I used to write to you when I was a little child, do you remember that? I don't know why we did, it was just something that my Father always told me to do._

_Write down my wishes._

_I don't have many wishes any more._

_That's not a bad thing- it's because most of them have come true, after all. I used to wish that I could be a shinigami, then that I would pass the entrance exams to the Academy, then that I would get a decent ranking in one of the Divisions. All of that has happened, it just doesn't feel quite the way that I expected it to._

_But that's not your fault._

_I don't believe you can do miracles, like everyone says you can, but if you want to take a stab at it there is an old friend of mine that needs a hand. She's in room 15 B of the Fourth Division Psychiatric Care ward._

_I'd like it as well if you could see to making all my friends content. They worried a lot about me, I can see that now. And if you could give Matsumoto some comfort, I know it would be appreciated. Nanao's looking after her, but we're all worried. She took Ichimaru's death hard._

_The last thing I'd like to ask you is if you could make Ikkaku be normal with me again. He means a lot to me and I feel like I've done something wrong- he keeps acting like I'm about to crack, or something._

_And also if you could let him get some sleep. Those shadows under his eyes have been there for far too long._

_Much appreciated,_

_Kira Izuru._

He was interrupted in sealing the envelope by a quick knock on the door. Anyone with a less sensitive ability to sense spiritual power would have missed the push of shunpo as whoever it was who knocked sped away. Assuming it was a joke, Kira sat back down, rolling his eyes at whichever kid it might have been that decided that knock-a-door-shunpo was a mature activity.

Probably from the Academy, he thought with a smile, only just learnt to do the trick. The spiritual pressure had felt unsure, unpractised.

It was only the next morning, when he was leaving his rooms, that he saw that outside his door someone had left him a potted plant.

Blinking at it, he nudged it through the door with his foot, and hurried away.


	13. December 13th

_Old Man,_

_First off, stop Yumi from giving me stupid ideas. Actually just make it so that I don't listen to him at all any more, okay? I don't know why I agreed to that stupid plant, I don't care if that stupid pot had a stupid message inside! Kira's a guy, why the hell would he want a stupid, shitty plant?_

_Secondly, make Yachiru go to sleep. Or kill her, maybe. But only if you can make it so that Kenpachi never finds out. Because man, would he kill you back for that one. But don't stop her from bringing Nemu over, it's too much fun when Captain-Kooky comes over to get her back. Kenpachi has the best time. Even with the acid._

_But seriously, I think that's the only reason why I thought the plant was a good idea, because I haven't slept in a week. I feel vaguely mad._

_Also, knock some sense into Hisagi._

_And to Renji._

_And to Iba, too. We all know he's got a crush on the older Kotetsu girl, he goes bright red every time she says hello to him._

_Idiot._

_Also, please make sure that Yumichika never gets anywhere near any fake eyelashes again. That whole day was horrendous, and he was saying how Kira's eyes were his best feature the other day. I do not want a repeat, especially not with Kira._

_Because I think that would freak me out a little bit too much._

_But that's it, I think._

_Ikkaku Madarame_

_P.S. Keep my bankai secret for another year, will ya?_

Ikkaku threw the sealed envelope at Yumichika, who had been waiting for it for some time, with a look of slightly manic victory.

"You see? I told you I could do it!"

"Well done," Yumichika responded dryly, catching the envelope with one hand. "How did it go last night?"

Ikkaku huffed.

"It was a stupid idea. He didn't even come to the door, he was telling Renji earlier that he only saw it this morning when he was going to work. Why the hell did you think that he'd want a stupid plant, anyway?"

It was Yumichika's turn to look offended now.

"Well, it was you who was out of ideas. I thought that it had a charm to it."

Ikkaku folded his arms.

"Keep your opinions to yourself in future then, Yumi."

Kenpachi, who had just been about to come in through the door, froze. Oh no. Only complete insanity would have caused Ikkaku to say that to Yumichika, surely? He peeked through the door and, sure enough, Yumichika's face was developing that shade of pink he only became when he was very, _very _annoyed. Quietly as he could, he edged away.

"Well, if that is the case, then perhaps I shall."

And, with an ominously offended rustle of his uniform, Yumichika swept out.


	14. December 14th

_Dear Father Christmas._

_Kusajishi-san informed me that it was necessary to write to you._

_For Christmas I would like Mayuri-sama to receive everything that he wishes for._

_Also, for Kusajishi to stop calling me 'Cardboard-Face'. I do not understand what she means by it._

_N. Kurotsuchi_

With a tut of disapproval Mayuri surveyed the digital note (the only kind of paperwork that Mayuri allowed in his Division) that had been delivered to his desk computer that morning. The shinigami in charge of outgoing data mail was of the anti-social variety, and hadn't quite understood his Lieutenants order of delivery to Father Christmas. As far as he had been able to tell from checking the name in the system, so called Saint Nicholas was an omnipresent being who controlled the giving of gifts. His decision to be pleased or displeased at your behaviour decided whether or not you would receive a gift.

The shinigami had not left the division for the last three years, and the closest thing that he had been able to think of to this description was Mayuri.

Hence, the note was forwarded.

With what was probably a smile but might instead be an order for genocide, Mayuri began to tap at his keyboard, and made some additions. After all, he couldn't have sent his own letter- he had been far, far too much of a naughty boy this year.

_Dear Father Christmas._

_Kusajishi-san informed me that it was necessary to write to you._

_For Christmas I would like Mayuri-sama to receive everything that he wishes for:_

_1. Three arrancar infants for experimental purposes_

_2. The 'last' Quincy, also for experimental purposes_

_3. Ichigo Kurosaki, dead or alive_

_4. Kenpachi Zaraki, preferably dead_

_5. Complete control over my own budget_

_6. For Nemu to stop being quite so useless_

_7. DNA samples from every Captain_

_8. For Unohana to give us access to medical records_

_9. More white face paint_

_10. For Urahara to stop sending spam emails_

_11. Possibly a new headdress, the Pharaoh look is getting dull_

_12. For the Gotei dry cleaners to be able to get blood stains out properly, not leaving a faint PINK mark behind_

_13. For that pink-haired child to be physically restrained_

_14. For pink to be banned as a colour_

_15. Finally, for the Eleventh Division to stop stealing my useless Lieutenant_

_Also, for Kusajishi to stop calling me 'Cardboard-Face'. I do not understand what she means by it._

_N. Kurotsuchi_

Mayuri grinned to himself.

Saint Nick would never notice the change.


	15. December 15th

_Dear Sir,_

_I have been told that you are the man who knows how to get things that no one else can. I have also been assured that you are a man of discretion who knows and understands that some things are best kept under wraps._

_So with this in mind, I want to ask you for something that I desperately need. It is not available anywhere in the Seireitei, and I cannot order it from the living world as it would have to be registered on legal shipping documentation._

_No one must know about this._

_So, Father Christmas, what I would like is as many bottles of Lil' Bow-Wow's conditioning detangler for dogs as I can feasibly hide. The purple one, for extra shine._

_You must understand that this is very much a need to know basis._

_I am not a vain person, you understand. I know it is an unnecessary luxury. I don't need it._

_It's just that last time I used it Retsu couldn't stop stroking fur, saying how soft it was._

_And that was nice._

_So that's all I want for Christmas, Sir, except for Retsu to get some time off so she can relax a little._

_With gratitude,_

_Sajin Komamura_

There was a polite knock on his office door just as he had finished, but he slid the letter under a book with little difficulty. What was harder, at the moment, was trying to block out the sound of Iba's grunts from the office next door as he did chin ups. There was also a smell coming from his Lieutenant's locker that he had received several complaints about, but he hadn't quite brought himself to look into that one yet.

The last time he made Iba clean out his locker there were too many things that he did not wish to recall.

"Come in."

Retsu entered, her normally serene smile a little forced, he thought.

"Sajin, did you know that there is very peculiar smell in the hallway-"

"I know. I'll sort it out later."

Noticing the corner of the envelope sticking out from under the book on Sajin's otherwise pristine desk, she smiled.

"Been writing to Father Christmas, have we?"

Sajin blushed. Luckily, you couldn't tell underneath the fur.


	16. December 16th

_Dearest Nick,_

_I don't know what you have done but everything has gone a little bit peculiar around here at the moment. There is no point denying it, this whole thing is classic you, right back from the Academy! Does the Captain Commander know that it is you doing all of this? I'm sure he cannot be pleased by it. Have the two of you been fighting again?_

_Anyway, since it seems to be the flavour of the month, I thought I'd write to you as well, to see how you're doing. It's been such a long time since I've seen you, the real you. I'm sure you must laugh as much as I do at those pictures of a chubby, bearded old man! I doubt somewhat that you have a fluffy white beard now, but do you still have that moustache you had last time I saw you? It looked ever so dapper, the Captain Commander's Lieutenant starting growing one right after you left. I don't think he's ever been forgiven for it._

_Things are fine for me- as busy and as hectic as ever. Shinigami as never as careful as they used to be, it seems- I had one foolish Lieutenant in here a few weeks ago who had cut his head open in an intoxicated head butting contest with another Lieutenant. Can you imagine!_

_I do miss you being here, you know- no one else remembers you properly now, except the Captain Commander and his Lieutenant, and neither of them have ever been particularly chatty on the subject._

_You'll be glad to know that I've settled down- you always told me to throw myself in love, and I've only just gotten around to it. He is a wonderful person, and a Captain as well, of the Seventh Division, so he does understand the work that I have to do._

_I'm too old to be wishing and asking for things, I have all that I need._

_But, if you ever feel like doing a favour for an old friend, could you please get Shunsui Kyouraku out of my hospital before I have to throw him out myself?_

_Much love to you and the family,_

_Retsu._

The hands that opened the letter were young looking, even if they were not young in age.

It was read with a smile and the occasional warm chuckle, by a face that still wore a proud moustache. Retsu was the same as ever, he thought as he looked over the pile of letters that had arrived this morning. Still a wonderful girl.

He twirled the end of his moustache as he sat back, and thought.


	17. December 17th

_Papa Christmas!_

_I think that I have been the very best of boys this year. I have been very entertaining to my friends at the sake bar and very generous in who gets to put things on my tab, and honestly, I've bought my dear Nanao-chan the loveliest collection of lingerie for Christmas to make up for the fact that I may have been a little bit… lax with my paperwork. But all the shinigami in my division agree that I am the best boss, because I give them the most pay for their overtime to make up for the work that they have to do._

_And I may be a little bit naughty from time to time, but it is all in the name of good fun and health, I promise you. C'mon, I'm sure even Mrs Clause likes a bit of a dirty tumble in the sack from time to time?_

_So I know you're busy and I know you have a lot of miracles to sort out, and I know I probably should have written earlier to get a guarantee for Christmas delivery, but I have a favour to ask._

_All I want, this year and every year, is for that cough of Jyuu-chan's to go._

_Because every time I hear it, every time it doesn't stop, it breaks my heart a little bit._

_I know I can't ask you to make him live forever. I know I can't ask you to stop time so we can stay like this forever. All I can ask you to do is to make him better, so that we can spend as much time together as we can before the end._

_Honestly, if you could see how pale he looks against hospital sheets, you'd understand how I feel._

_Hopefully yours,_

_Shunsui_

Shunsui Kyouraku, Captain of the Eighth Division of the Gotei Thirteen, was in the way.

He was writing a letter against the wall of the narrow hospital corridor, blocking a doorway by accident, in the way of a hospital gurney that two shinigami were trying to move. With a flourish of his pen he signed his name, and moved. If he was expecting thanks, it wasn't forthcoming: he had not left the hospital for three days, and had been conspicuously in the way of everything the whole time. Even Unohana's smile was becoming a little forced.

But, she couldn't ask him to leave.

Not when Jyuushiro Ukitake had been rushed in here, unable to breathe, only a few days earlier.

Honestly, the Fourth Division shinigami had been shocked. No one had ever seen Captain Kyouraku without a smile on his face until that day.


	18. December 18th

_Dear Father Christmas,_

_I have tried to be good this year. I do all of my paperwork when I am not ill, and I try to do as much of it when I am as is possible, though Shunsui always fusses about me doing it and tries to throw it out of the window (he thinks I don't notice, but I do). I have everything that I want this year, except perhaps good health, but there is still something I'd like to tell you about._

_I don't know how much attention you pay to the Soul Society, but we've got a few problems._

_There are people grieving the ones we had to bury, and I feel for them. Matsumoto may try to hide it but we all know that Ichimaru was her greatest friend and the hurt is still there. Then, there are those grieving those still living- dear Toushiro looks more and more ashen each time I see him from the hospital window, flitting away from his friend. I don't know how Hinamori is doing at the moment, but she has been harmed somewhere deep inside her. I'm not sure if it will ever be healed. Unohana is doing her best, but the woman is stretched as it is._

_Then there is Hisagi. He tries to pretend that he is fine, you know, but it isn't. Just because he wasn't so emotionally involved as Hinamori was, just because he wasn't so completely betrayed as Izuru, he pretends that he hadn't invested so much trust and respect in Tousen. He needs someone new to trust, someone who won't let him down. I don't think it will be quite who he expects, but it might work._

_Izuru will be hard to help. He has locked himself away and has gotten on with things. People seem to think he is weak because he let it show that he was hurting, but he is one of the strongest people that I know. He just needs someone to make him believe it._

_I see young Byakuya watching his sister, and know that he is at a loss how to make it better. I think it is tearing at him, a little._

_But the biggest thing is that we don't trust each other any more. I see it every day- shinigami who have been friends and colleagues for years, who are now slightly wary around each other, just because of which division they are in. I think that's Sosuke's final legacy, really. Distrust. We are fractured._

_Sometimes it takes a celebration to bring things together again._

_Just something to think about._

_Respectfully yours,_

_Jyuushiro Ukitake_

"Dear Shunsui, you're in the way of this young lady. She needs to change my drip, I think."

"Dearest Jyuu, she can do it around me. I am quite happy sitting here holding your hand."

Jyuushiro patted Shunsui's face gently, sighing as he did so.

"I wish we were not quite such a pain, you know. We're getting on Retsu's nerves."

Shunsui smiled cheerfully back at him.

"You're not, I am. And as soon as you're better we'll be out of the way again."

"But when will that be?"

Jyuushiro just shook his head, and smiled. Both of their heads turned in the direction of the corridor, where a commotion seemed to be under way. For once, it had nothing to do with Shunsui. It appeared that Iba had appeared and had managed to trip over a mop, knocking over the tub of dirty water next to it, at the sight of the Fourth's Lieutenant.

Jyuushiro and Shunsui smiled at each other.


	19. December 19th

_Dear Father Christmas_

_This year, could you please make Captain Ukitake better again? The offices always feel so lonely without him, it makes us all worry._

_Please make Captain Kyouraku stop throwing paperwork out of the window. I don't know if he thinks we don't notice, but we do._

_I'd like my sister to get out a bit more, if you could make that happen? Word on the grapevine is there is someone from the Seventh division that blushes every time he sees her, could you try and fix them up? If not, just turn her into a lesbian and let Matsumoto and Nanao threesome with her, I know Matsumoto would be up for it at any rate._

_Lastly, it would be awesome if you could make Sentaro disappear. I would be a perfect acting-Lieutenant without him, and I do all of the paperwork anyway, so he wouldn't be missed. I also wish that people would stop saying how similar we are, because we so are not. We are as different as, as… well, as anything. And we hate each other, obvious. Some people are just blind to the truth, I think._

_Anyway, Happy Christmas!_

_Love, Kiyone._

"Oi, loser, finished writing it yet?"

Sentaro lifted his letter up above Kiyone's reach as she tried to grab for his.

"Of course I have, idiot. And mine is probably twice as good as yours."

"No way!"

"Let me read it then?"

Kiyone shook her head.

"Idiot, if you read my wishes they won't come true."

"Then why is okay for you to read mine?"

"Because I don't care if yours don't!"

Sentaro shoved it up his sleeve, out of the way of her grabbing hands, blushing a little.

"Yeah, well I do, so shut up."

Kiyone was sulking now, he could tell, but to be honest, he didn't mind as long as it kept his secret safe.

_Father C,_

_This year, will you make our Captain well again? We all really miss him around here, it's just not the same, and everyone worries when he's in hospital._

_Please make things in the paperwork area even more disruptive this year, it's so funny to watch Kiyone get wound up about it._

_I'd like a new watch for Christmas, because my old one is broken and wont let me change the time, and I want to make it five minutes quick so I can beat Kiyone to everything and make her look really bad._

_I also think it would be really cool if you could find some way of making me be able to tell Kiyone that I'm in love with her, even though she's an idiot._

_And that's about it from me._

_Sentaro Kotsubaki_


	20. December 20th

_Father Christmas, you're not allowed to laugh, but this year I'm going to ask for a chance to talk to people._

_See, you're laughing already, aren't you? Well, the fact of the matter is that I'm not very good at talking to people, even the people that I care about. I just get shy and awkward and can never get out what I really want to say._

_And I have a lot of things that I would like to say._

_You see, the thing is, I spend a lot of time with people. They might not realise it, because half the time they're not very coherent, but I've spent time with most of the shinigami's around, in one way or another, giving them injections, advice, operations. That is the only time I can talk without stuttering, really, when I'm explaining what is wrong with people. Cheery, huh? No wonder people forget me- I'm a part of bad memories._

_So for Christmas this year I'd like to be able to tell the people around me some important things, so that maybe after Christmas they're remember who I am a little better._

_I want to tell Captain Unohana that she works too hard, but that every single thing that she does is appreciated by every one in the Division, and that she is the mentor that I have always wanted._

_I want to tell Hinamori to get over it. I know she is ill, and that she has been hurt, but I don't think that everyone worrying about her is going to make her better. I think she needs to be told some sense._

_I want to tell Matsumoto that as much as I appreciate the shopping trips, I really don't have the same taste in clothes as she does. But I also want to tell her that she is the first person who has ever made me feel physically confident._

_I want to tell Kira Izuru to stop getting himself into unnecessary trouble on the field. I don't know if he knows he is doing it intentionally, but one of these days he might not win. Adrenaline is all well and good, but it wont fill that hole I know is inside him._

_I want to tell Rukia to stop worrying about what her brother expects of her. It's all she talks about in the SWA meetings, but as far as I can tell from the way he looks at her, all she needs to be is herself, and he'll love her._

_As for my own sister, I want to tell her to be quiet, for once, and to actually listen to what people have to say. She might hear something surprising._

_And I need to tell Sentaro that he's never going to get through to my sister by teasing her. They aren't kids any more, he needs to stop pulling pigtails._

_Finally… I want to tell Iba that he doesn't need to put on all the macho bravado with me. I think he is a very brave, strong shinigami, and I have a lot of respect for him- he doesn't need to try and make me believe it._

_So, I guess you could say, I'm asking for eloquence._

_Thank you,_

_Isane Kotetsu._

Captain Unohana read the letter with a smile on her face.

She had found it in a pile of documentation that he Lieutenant had signed for her earlier, and it had obviously been misplaced.

She was about to put it in the pile of folders due to be sent back to Isane's desk, but at the last moment changed her mind, a plan forming in her mind.


	21. December 21st

_Dear Father Christmas,_

_I would like a new handle for my mop for Christmas, if it isn't too much trouble, because the one I have at the moment keeps giving me splinters._

_I would also appreciate it if you make sure Yumichika doesn't come near me with anything relating to my eyelashes again, please._

_Also, no eyebrow wax._

_Thank you very much,_

_Hanatarou Yamada._

Hanatarou hadn't thought too much about Christmas before this year, when it had appeared as a suddenly huge thing, massively blown out of proportion, but he had to admit that it was pretty.

All the lights, and tinsel and things.

It didn't make his job any easier though. Really, when you got down to it, the only thing that had changed was the fact that how there was confetti and glitter to sweep of the street as well as the days collection of dust and dirt.

In fact, in some ways, it made it tougher. Yesterday he had been summoned to the Tenth Division for the third time since the start of December, to unfreeze the pipes. He didn't really understand why all the snow was centred solely around the Tenth Division, or why Captain Hitsugaya was angrily melting all of the snowmen built around it with hot water, but it wasn't his place to ask, he supposed.

"Hey, Yamada! Look at this!"

He looked up at one of his fellow Fourth Division shinigami, who was running towards him, envelopes in hand. Hers was open, and as she drew level with him he realised that the other was addressed to him.

"I picked it up from your pigeonhole back at the Division. Read it!"

A little confused, Hanatarou opened the envelope and drew out a gold-embossed card, and read out loud from it.

"In celebration of the Gotei 13 Divisions continued excellence and strength, the Captains would like to invite you all to the first annual Christmas event, held in the Seireitei main square this Christmas Day."

Still bemused, Hanatarou turned the card around, looking for more detail.

"I don't understand, what is it?"

His friend rolled her eyes.

"It's an invitation, Hanatarou. We're going to a Christmas party!"


	22. December 22nd

_Father Christmas,_

_All I would like for Christmas is a little bit of sanity._

_Not a Captain running off every hour of the day to tend to his partner._

_Not a lover who keeps demanding that I pick my favourite from the new Ann Summer's catalogue._

_Not a babbling group of women that have dragged me out shopping for something to wear for the vaguest sounding event I've ever heard._

_None of it._

_Just a quiet moment to myself (like this, only without being hidden in a fire escape having to listen to my friends on the other side of the door yell for me)._

_Please. If that isn't too much trouble, just a bit of normality._

_Nanao Ise._

From behind the doors all that Nanao Ise could hear was chaos. After a while the calls for her stopped, as the women she was with were distracted by the shoe sale. Or so she assumed, she wasn't going to go out there to find out. Pulling a folder of paperwork that she had managed to shove into a bag on her way out of the office, she set about the work that she should have been doing.

So engrossed in the sums for this months Division budget (well, it wasn't like her Captain was going to do them), she didn't hear the door open, and only became aware that she was being watched because of the rustle of shopping bags.

She looked up, and sighed.

Rangiku was grinning down at her, silently holding two dresses in the air, on their hangers. One, a deep purple with _far _too many panels cut out of it down the side (her Captain would have approved), the second a pale blue with a plunging neckline.

She put away her paperwork, and got to her feet.

"I will try on dresses," she informed Matsumoto in a curt voice, "But both of those are out of the question."

Rangiku grinned back at her.

"Fine, but I still get to pick out my favourites for you to try on."

Nanao rolled her eyes, but came out of the fire escape.

"You didn't need to hide in the fire escape, you know. It's a bit extreme."

Nanao brushed the dust off her uniform, trying not to blush.

"I needed to write my letter."

Rangiku laughed, and linked their arms.

"Leaving it a bit late, aren't we? I thought you said that all this letter business was ridiculous."

She paused before answering. It _had _been ridiculous at first, but slowly the festivity had gotten to her, creeping up like an unwanted thought. It was almost like a form of magic, she couldn't help but think, almost like a spell had been cast over the whole of the Seireitei, inexplicable, undeniable…

In the end, she just shrugged, and was dragged off towards the dresses.


	23. December 23rd

_Dear Sir,_

_I don't know what all of this madness you've instilled is, but I don't like it. People are singing all over the place, and to top it all off today it has started snowing. Properly, not like those ridiculous miniature clouds that keep appearing over the Tenth Division whenever no one is looking. It is full on, blanketing snow, and I don't like it._

_This Christmas thing has absolutely no regard for anyone else, does it? You've be inconceivably selfish, setting this whole thing up, not even thinking about what people might want. _

_Do I want a party where my attendance is compulsory? Do I want to have to go to the Seated Officer's Ball afterwards? Do I want to have to make a god damn speech at the Division Christmas party that my damn fool of a Lieutenant approved without my permission?_

_DO I WANT SNOW?_

_No! No I do not. Some of us, Father Christmas, just wanted this whole ridiculous farce to be low key, so that we could get things done._

_Some people might have had plans already!_

_And now I can't slip away to the human world to spend it with the only person that I actually care about, because now I have mandatory attendances at events that would have never been planned if you hadn't made this whole season so insane! Now I have obligations, and if people can't find me they will look for me, and I intended to be with people who would have preferred it if the Seireitei forgot their existence!_

_To top it all off, snow._

_Cats don't like the snow, you old fool._

_So, if you want to get me anything for this ridiculous holiday, get rid of it._

_The whole thing._

_Soifon._

It was the day before Christmas Eve and all was quiet in the Second Division, except for in the training area, where Captain Soifon was working her shinigami three times as hard as normal, to vent her bad mood. It was very unfair, second Division shinigami all thought, that theirs was the only Captain who hadn't got into the Christmas spirit. Admittedly, Captain Hitsugaya was still going around scowling, but at least his zanpakuto kept making frost patterns on the windows.

"If you want a Christmas party you're going to have to work for it!"

The voice of their enraged Captain sent shivers down all of their spines- they didn't understand quite why she was so against having a party, but at this rate, none of them were even going to be awake for it.

From the sidelines, Lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda sat and watched, eating a large chunk of the Christmas cake that was meant to be for later. He figured no one would miss one slice of it anyway.

He really didn't get what was biting his Captain, but he hoped that Father Christmas slipped her something strong, to calm her down.


	24. December 24th

_~From the Desk of the Captain Commander~_

_Nick,_

_Don't you think this whole thing has gone on quite long enough?_

_I know you I annoyed you when we argued and I said my work was more important than yours, but covering the whole of the Seireitei in elf dust, or whatever ridiculous magic you're tampering with at the moment, is just too far._

_I mean, it was a funny enough joke to begin with, but it is quite out of hand now. Paperwork just isn't coming through. There is mayhem in the Divisions. The whole Gotei is covered in snowflake confetti._

_A group of unranked fourth division shinigami are carol singing outside my office._

_I am a busy man and these things are not helping._

_Give my love to Barbara and the boys._

_G. S. Y_


	25. December 25th

Merry Christmas y'all, and have a prosperous New Year. And a happy birthday to me, for in a few days. Have fun, wherever you are in the world.

Apologies for any spelling/grammar mistakes!

Renji x Byakuya, Ikkaku x Kira, Yumichika x Hisagi, Shunsui x Jyuushiro, Kiyone x Sentaro, Nanao x Matsumoto, Rukia x Ichigo, Soifon x Yoruichi, Hanatarou x Momo, Komamura x Unohana, Iba x Isane _(some only implied)_

**To Conclude…**

_Yama,_

_You always did take things too seriously. You may be Captain Commander, but that's no reason to let your hair down. Or your beard, whatever._

_You're meant to give carol singers a gift for their songs, y'know._

_Barbara sends her love._

_Nick._

The Captain Commander stared out at the masses of shinigami that had gathered to celebrate, for the first time, Christmas. He did not feel even slightly festive, and his Lieutenant, who stood behind him, felt a little nervous at the thought of the Christmas speech that someone, somewhere in administration, had decided that he should do at the beginning of the festivities. It was not a decision that had got down well with the Captain Commander.

He glared up at the sky, where the heavy grey skies were threatening to snow. He just dared it to try.

He cleared his throat into the microphone that had been set up just for this occasion.

"Well, everyone… Merry Christmas. And lets all have a good, responsible evening."

Silence echoed around the courtyard for a second too long before a short, unenthusiastic applause broke out. The Captain Commander nodded, but didn't try to smile.

Behind him stood the assembled Captains and their Lieutenants, some of them not even in uniform. In all his memory, he wasn't sure if he had ever seen some of his Captains without their robes of office around their shoulders. In front of him stood every ranked and unranked shinigami and Academy student, even those that had retired decades before. Invitations had, apparently, been sent to everyone, although he still hadn't found out just who those had originated from.

He exchanged a wry glance with Unohana, who was dressed in a pretty dark blue kimono, with waves embroidered around the edge. She smiled back at him, her arm linked through Komamura's. She stroked his fur absentmindedly, wondering at how soft it felt tonight. As soon as they were alone, she thought, Sajin was getting some serious petting behind the ears.

She relaxed into his shoulder, smiling to herself at the wave of cheerful noise from the crowds of shinigami. Finally work seemed to be letting up, with Ukitake finally being discharged and the emergency ward being surprisingly empty. Komamura smiled down at her, glad that the frown lines across her forehead had smoothed out again.

Three quarters of that, he thought, was just that Kyouraku was finally out of her ward.

They turned to follow the Captain Commander to the separate hall in which the Captains and Lieutenants would be having their own private ball. Their Lieutenants fell into step behind them, awkwardly not quite looking at each other.

Iba scratched his ear.

"Umm, Merry Christmas."

Isane, her hands folded behind her back, smiled, and replied in same. Iba found himself blushing, although he wasn't quite sure why. He never had thought of anything to give to her, although he hadn't stopped trying.

In turn, Isane wasn't sure what to say back. Unfortunately that was normally the case.

Iba took a deep breath. It was now or never, really.

"Erm, would you, er, maybe, like to… I mean, I'm not very good, but would you, err, like to dance later?"

Isane, her face growing more and more red, felt the familiar feeling of her tongue tying itself up on knots. The butterflies rose in her chest, and she realised that her mouth was open, staring a little. Iba cleared his throat, embarrassed that he had asked now that no response had come.

But then, as if by magic, she felt her tongue loosen, felt a calm settle on her like a dusting of snow.

"I'd love to."

Behind them, Shunsui found himself smiling as he eavesdropped on their conversation. He wasn't holding Ukitake's hand, but his hand would be right there just as soon as Ukitake started to look even the least bit tired. He was still pale and a little frail looking, not quiet fully recovered from the hospital stay, but the fact that he was here was enough. The coloured fairy lights shone in his hair, turning it into a rainbow of colours.

"Everyone's happy, aren't they, Shunsui?"

Shunsui nodded, and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead.

"Good wish, Jyuu."

"Do you think that everyone will have a good time?"

Shunsui smiled, and nodded in the direction of his Lieutenant, who was pulling a face across at Matsumoto, who seemed to be doing something with her breasts that Shunsui didn't quite understand. To his surprise, he saw Nanao wink, and mouth something that looked a hell of a lot like '_later'_.

Nanao felt strangely serene, at peace as Matsumoto grinned back at her.

This, errm, sweet moment was interrupted by a drunken yell from the assembled shinigami still close (some of them had, in the true tradition of the office Christmas party, started rather early).

"Ey, Matsumoto, you gonna do that trick with the wrapping paper again?"

For a brief moment, it looked like she was going to whip out her zanpakuto and cause the shinigami some pain, but after a moment (and a timely giggle from Nanao, causing Shunsui to wonder if maybe she'd had a couple of cheeky ones in advance as well) she just laughed, and saluted him.

"Maybe, but if I do, it'll be a private show!"

Matsumoto shrugged to herself, still smiling. She supposed that as much as she wished, the whole thing with the wrapping paper was never going to be forgotten.

Nemu watched all of this without an expression, but if you knew her well enough you would be able to see the slight warmth in her eyes that indicated her happiness. Luckily, Mayuri didn't notice it, or else he probably would have considered removing them to take that warmth away.

She was quite content just to watch, but unfortunately Yachiru had other ideas. She landed on Nemu's back with a whoop, before jumping straight off again in the direction of Byakuya.

"Thanks, pretty face!"

Nemu blinked. She supposed it was better than 'cardboard face'.

Yachiru's jump towards Byakuya was blocked by Renji, who swiped her out of the way in a similar way to a racquet swiping away a tennis ball. She landed on the floor with a slight bounce, right in front of a figure that had been standing behind the rest, who hadn't been noticed yet. Another figure was stood next to her, holding her arm to keep her steady. Earlier that day, a she had received an unexpected visitor who had told her, in a quiet, firm voice, that certain things really should change.

And she had listened.

So Momo had gotten out of bed that afternoon, and had bathed and dressed herself and took the medication that the Fourth Division told her to take, and had waited until Hanatarou had appeared, the one shinigami in the Fourth Division that she thought she could call friend had checked in on her, and asked him to help her to the party. He had been more than happy to do so, the little crush that he had developed for her blushing at the attention. Plus, it meant that he would be with the Captains and Lieutenants, and so would not be anywhere near Yumichika and his eyebrow wax.

That was not a Christmas present that he wanted.

Momo looked around at the bright, coloured lights and the happy people, and was glad to be here.

Several people caught sight of her, and felt a little better.

Toushiro sidled up behind her, and poked her shoulder, just like he used to do when he was a kid and was annoyed at her.

"Merry Christmas."

His voice was a little gruff, and his eyes were focused on the floor, but at the sight of her oldest friend Momo's eyes lit up.

From across the room, Kira watched this with something close to a smile, glad that his old friend was out and about again. He stood next to Hisagi, both of them feeling a little out of place now that they had reached the ball room, neither of them quite sure why they felt so out of place, or so lonely. They watched Iba awkwardly trying to converse with Isane for a moment, before both of them reached the same decision. Kira elbowed Hisagi in the ribs, and nodded towards the door.

"Wanna slip out, and find Ikkaku and Yumichika?"

Hisagi nodded, and they moved towards the door.

In a corner, Kenpachi watched the two of them, a little worse for wear already, after a hearty marathon with his division. He had downed a whole bottle of sake before _that_, in celebration of the mysterious fire that had started and had somehow destroyed all of the paperwork that had been accumulating underneath his desk. Yachiru had indulged herself in more sweets that he cared to count (and not that he would admit it, but more sweets than he _could _count to) and was bouncing off the walls, irritating everyone, much to his satisfaction. He grinned as they slipped out. Hopefully that would stop his third and fourth seats from sulking like little bitches. Although Yumichika, it could not be denied, was always a little bit like that.

As was, he thought, Byakuya-fucking-Kuchiki, who was stood like a column, with Renji hovering besides him like a demented mother hen, as if leaving Kuchiki's shadow would make him melt, or something. Kenpachi snorted. Utter crap, it really was.

Outside, Hisagi had found Yumichika, by the fact that the fifth seat had jumped on him. He hadn't been expecting it, and it had taken a moment to steady himself.

"Ah, hello Ayasegawa."

"Shuuhei! I missed you!"

"I'm sure you did."

Without warning, Yumichika fastening himself to Hisagi's mouth. There was a small part of him that considered complaining about this development, but that part had been severely weakened in recent weeks by the progression of Yumichika's infamous 'gay charm'. Instead, he slid a hand around his back, and decided to roll with it.

Kira and Ikkaku regarded this with some bemusement, before the surging crowd of people swallowed them up and they found themselves pushed to the edge of the crowd, next to the walls of the courtyard. Kira realised, as he took a good look at Ikkaku, that his friend was quite drunk.

"Been tellin' you guys for ages- once Yumi wants something, he'll get it."

Kira nodded, agreeing. He was glad that even for this short moment that Ikkaku wasn't being strange with him, like he had been for the last few months.

"Wish I was like that."

Ikkaku looked at him blearily.

"Why don't ya be then?"

Kira blinked. No one had ever quite put it as bluntly as that before. Ichimaru had always told him that he was perfect the way that he was, but that was silly, really. No one was ever perfect.

"Hey, Izuru?"

Kira was a little surprised at the use of his first name, but didn't mention it. Ikkaku turned towards him, wavering a little.

"If I asked you for a drink, would ya say yes?"

"Ikkaku, we went for a drink last night."

"I mean…" a drunken frown slanted across his forehead, "Just the two of us. Like, on a date type thing."

Kira stared, wide eyed, at his friend. Did Ikkaku really just ask him that?

And was he really considering saying yes?

He knew and accepted his preferences for relationships, that wasn't the issue; it was just that Ikkaku was his friend, his drinking buddy. He had seen him at his worst, and Ikkaku had seen Kira's at his. They knew each others faults and had seen each other steaming drunk on a regular basis.

And yet, maybe knowing someone that well wasn't such a bad basis for a relationship. He never had been one for secrets or surprises.

He realised that Ikkaku was still waiting for an answer, and after a moment he patted his friend on the cheek, and smiled. A real, broad, smile.

"Sure, why not?"

Rukia had not seen any of this, but she had seen the door that Kira and Hisagi had slipped out of. She made a bee line for it, knowing full well that even though she shouldn't be in the Captain's and Lieutenant's ball, that there was something that she needed to do in there. She slipped in, passed a sleeping Yachiru who seemed to have passed out in the middle of a huge Christmas cake and a Kiyone and Sentaro, who were standing blushing under a sprig of mistletoe, staring in bemusement at each other, clearly unsure of what to do.

She peeped out from behind a curtain, and spotted her brother from across the room immediately. She put all of her concentration into hiding her spiritual powers, and drew her zanpakuto.

Renji, returning to Byakuya with a drink in each hand, didn't notice the patch of ice that miraculously formed in front of him. With a skid and a crash, the drinks when flying, he went head over heels, and careered right into Byakuya, knocking him onto his back, the Captain not anticipating the sudden collision. Renji looked over, bright red in embarrassment, at the tousled hair and suddenly close face of his Captain.

Very close, in fact.

Before he could help it, he leant forward and kissed him.

After that, uproar ensued, mainly because Rukia's poorly aimed ice also managed to slip over several other people, causing one waiter to tug rather hard on the Captain Commander's beard to right himself. Kenpachi couldn't stop himself from laughing as Renji and Byakuya still lay on the floor, staring at each other in shock.

Not too displeased shock, though.

The party broke up soon after that, but that wasn't quite the end of the night.

To Soifon's delight, by the time every drunken reveller had made his way back home, the trampling feet of hundreds of shinigami had cut a damp path through the snow, and a black cat padded through the slush, picking up her paws in distaste at the puddles. It paid Soifon a very welcome and very enjoyable visit in the darkness of the Second Division, where both of them felt equally at home.

Even later on that evening, Rukia opened her bedroom door after a rather loud bump to find a very confused Ichigo Kurosaki. Tied up. In a bunny costume. It wasn't quite Chappy, but it was good enough.

Byakuya never told her who put it there. Dressing an unconscious Kurosaki in a bunny suit was a memory that he tried his hardest to suppress.

Not surprisingly, Mayuri didn't receive anything on his list.


End file.
